It’s been a really busy week here, with an absolute explosion in traffic to the site, thanks to an article on Lifehacker.com. You might have noticed the site is kind of slow, but don’t worry… we’re working almost around the clock on fixing it up.
Excuse-making: our favorite way to apologize for the lateness of this week’s DVD Report. The Tyson documentary has gotten great reviews.
Criticker Pick! Tyson – Average Tier 7.54 A mixture of original interviews and archival footage and photographs sheds light on the life experiences of Mike Tyson. Tyson @ Amazon
Hannah Montana: The Movie – Average Tier 2.8 As Hannah Montana’s popularity begins to take over her life, Miley Stewart (Miley Ray Cyrus), on the urging form her father (Billy Ray Cyrus) taken a trip to her hometown of Crowley Corners, Tennessee to get some perspective on what matters in life the most. Hannah Montana: The Movie @ Amazon
Surveillance – Average Tier 4.08 An FBI agent tracks a serial killer with the help of three of his would-be victims – all of whom have wildly different stories to tell. Surveillance @ Amazon
Julia – Average Tier 5.4 A woman (Swinton) tries to extort money, using a young boy as bait. Julia @ Amazon
Yesterday, I made the weekly call to my folks. They’re recently retired and making the most of their abundant free time by going to the cinema more frequently. They had just seen both G.I. Joe and District 9, and are probably the only people on Earth who loved the former and hated the latter.
My theory is that they’re becoming senile and got the films mixed up — they walked out of District 9 saying to each other, “Wow G.I. Joe was really great!” It’s either that, or I must stop loving them.
This looks in no way enticing. Does it?
I know that I’ll soon see (and enjoy) District 9, but I’m having an internal struggle with G.I. Joe. It’s embarrassing that even a tiny slice of my brain is attracted to it. I mean, it was less than a month ago that I ignored my better instincts and decided to give the second Transformers film a shot. I left the theater shell-shocked and sickened at my own gullibility. How could I have let myself believe that it might be fun? Why wasn’t I able to trust the critics, let alone this website which I spend every waking hour working on?!
And why am I similarly drawn to G.I. Joe? I know that it’s going to be awful, and that I’m going to be mad at myself immediately after seeing it. Why should I reward a studio which churns out such junk with my money? Should I go with low expectations, hoping to at least have them met?
Laremy Legel has a great article at Film.com, explaining why it’s okay to keep our expectations high and allow ourselves to hate G.I. Joe. I think I’m going to read it every day until I finally lose the desire to waste my money. Or… what do you think I should do?
There’s just something unsettling about seeing rows upon rows of Terminator cyborgs being assembled.
True to 1:6th scale, this T-700 assembly line diorama features light-up eyes and button on the manufacturing machine. Base has the Terminator Salvation logo.
Next time, have one of these on hand. Handy and stunning, these chromed-out beauties do quick-work on bottles while still screaming Federation. They feel heavy in your hands, like a good phaser, so if diplomatic relations fail you, you can always chuck ‘em at your hosts’ heads as a weapon.
One of the most popular series ever to hit the movie screen! Montage features collection of actual 35mm film cells and mini-posters from all 6 theatrical releases. Each cell is one-of-a-kind, cut from real film and may vary from those shown. Double matted and attractively framed for display in your home or office, it includes a Certificate of Authenticity. Limited edition of 2500.
“How dare you trash the image of Saint Nick! Beloved Santa Claus should be above mockery, just like Jesus and Mickey Mouse!” This seemed to be the gist of the blustery criticism which greeted Bad Santa when it became one of 2003′s box office success stories.
Bad Santa was director Terry Zwigoff’s first mainstream film, after his extremely successful projects Crumb and Ghost World. Starring a skeazy Billy Bob Thornton and Tony Cox as Mr. Claus and an elf who rob, con and generally do everything except bring Christmas cheer, Bad Santa was a huge success financially and a moderate one with critics. The Criticker user base, however, is split. It has a FCQ of 48.69 (Film Contentiousness Quotient — details on the math here).
Was Bad Santa a wickedly funny dark comedy? Or a mean-spirited trash heap with one joke (Santa isn’t nice)? Personally, I found the film’s concept not particularly clever and was worried it would be one of those “Oh My How Crude & Shocking” snooze-fests. But the performances were great and the jokes often hilarious. Besides, the sickeningly sweet Christmastime season needs all the darkness it can get. And it was John Ritter’s last role!
But let’s put it to the jury. What did you think about Bad Santa?
Bad Santa
Great! (62%, 21 Votes)
Terrible! (38%, 13 Votes)
Total Voters: 34
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Allow battling Criticker users to influence your decision! HalfJapanese – “Terry Zwigoff and the Coen’s Christmas exercise in bad taste, booze and safecracking pays off immensely. One of the most memorable and worthwhile Christmas movies in years.”
Blake Leyden – “Dirty joke, bash on Christmas, dirty joke, bad joke, funny comment, dirty joke, dirty joke…there you have seen the movie.”
Last time, you voted on Team America: World Police, and gave it your seal of approval by an overwhelming margin.
A great week for new DVD releases leads with the much-loved comedy I Love You, Man, which confirms that Paul Rudd can indeed carry a movie (especially when his wingman is as hilarious as Jason Segel). But the film which earned the Criticker community’s unadulterated love was the Palme d’Or winning masterwork The Class. If you haven’t seen this yet, do yourself a favor and seek it out.
I Love You, Man – Average Tier 6.26 Friendless Peter Klaven (Rudd) goes on a series of man-dates to find a Best Man for his wedding. But when his insta-bond with new BFF (Segel) puts a strain on his relationship with his fiancée (Jones), can the trio learn to live happily ever after? I Love You, Man @ Amazon
Criticker Pick! The Class – Average Tier 7.91 François and his fellow teachers prepare for a new year at a high school in a tough neighborhood. Neither stuffy nor severe, his extravagant frankness often takes the students by surprise. But his classroom ethics is put to the test when his students begin to challenge his teaching methods … (festival-cannes.fr) The Class @ Amazon
17 Again – Average Tier 4.70 About a guy whose life didn’t quite turn out how he wanted it to and wishes he could go back to high school and change it. He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets the chance to rewrite his life. 17 Again @ Amazon
London to Brighton – Average Tier 6.21 It’s 3:07am and two girls burst into a run down London toilet. Joanne is crying her eyes out and her clothing is ripped. Kelly’s face is bruised and starting to swell. Duncan Allen lies in his bathroom bleeding to death. Duncan’s son, Stuart, has found his father and wants answers. Derek, Kelly’s pimp, needs to find Kelly or it will be him who pays. Kelly and Joanne need to get through the next 24 hours alive…London to Brighton @ Amazon
Gigantic – Average Tier 4.57 Mattress salesman Brian Weathersby (Dano) finds his plan to adopt a Chinese baby augmented by the arrival of a young woman, Happy (Deschanel), who comes into his workplaces, falls asleep on one of the beds, and starts to affect his life upon waking up. Gigantic @ Amazon
After the fail Kung Fu scene now comes the fail 80s fighting scene. You’ll find yourself “hooked” by the scene’s end. Anyone know from what movie this is?
After kidnapping and butchering two teenagers, a gang unknowingly finds refuge with the parents of one of the victims — hosts who devise gruesome revenge. The Last House on the Left @ Amazon
A mixture of original interviews and archival footage and photographs sheds light on the life experiences of Mike Tyson. Tyson @ Amazon
As Hannah Montana’s popularity begins to take over her life, Miley Stewart (Miley Ray Cyrus), on the urging form her father (Billy Ray Cyrus) taken a trip to her hometown of Crowley Corners, Tennessee to get some perspective on what matters in life the most. Hannah Montana: The Movie @ Amazon
An FBI agent tracks a serial killer with the help of three of his would-be victims – all of whom have wildly different stories to tell. Surveillance @ Amazon
A woman (Swinton) tries to extort money, using a young boy as bait. Julia @ Amazon
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Friendless Peter Klaven (Rudd) goes on a series of man-dates to find a Best Man for his wedding. But when his insta-bond with new BFF (Segel) puts a strain on his relationship with his fiancée (Jones), can the trio learn to live happily ever after? 
François and his fellow teachers prepare for a new year at a high school in a tough neighborhood. Neither stuffy nor severe, his extravagant frankness often takes the students by surprise. But his classroom ethics is put to the test when his students begin to challenge his teaching methods … (festival-cannes.fr) 
About a guy whose life didn’t quite turn out how he wanted it to and wishes he could go back to high school and change it. He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets the chance to rewrite his life. 
It’s 3:07am and two girls burst into a run down London toilet. Joanne is crying her eyes out and her clothing is ripped. Kelly’s face is bruised and starting to swell. Duncan Allen lies in his bathroom bleeding to death. Duncan’s son, Stuart, has found his father and wants answers. Derek, Kelly’s pimp, needs to find Kelly or it will be him who pays. Kelly and Joanne need to get through the next 24 hours alive…
Mattress salesman Brian Weathersby (Dano) finds his plan to adopt a Chinese baby augmented by the arrival of a young woman, Happy (Deschanel), who comes into his workplaces, falls asleep on one of the beds, and starts to affect his life upon waking up. 
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